Final reflection

During first and second of Batxillerat, we have been doing a new project thought by our English teachers. This project consists on doing a lot of writings with the aim to improve our level of English.

To write some texts you must be original and to have some new ideas because at the beginning we have to do ten writings minimum. It supposed a big effort for all of us because we never did a project like that, where we have to write a lot. But time to time we get used of this project and, finally we achieved to get the improvement of our level as our teachers were waiting for.

First of all, this project helps us to be more fluent with our writings and to know which types of structure have the different typewriting. In my case, these writings help me a lot with acquiring new vocabulary and some synonyms to not to be so repetitive in my posts. Now, I think easier with new vocabulary that I have learned during these two years.

Also, I learnt a lot about new topics that I have never thought about like topics related with agriculture, the new technologies, physiologists, food recipes, laws… and I acquire new knowledge associated with Internet and how to post some video casts, pot casts…

Although this new project has a lot of advantages, it also supposes to us a lot of work in home and with that, time wasting with writing. It is the cause when we complained sometimes at the beginning to the teachers, and because the work that suppose second of Batxillerat, our teachers said to us to do only six posts.

Finally, I must be sincere and I would like to say that this new project help me a lot with the improvement of my English as in writings as in oral presentations and, mostly with my fluency.

1. My English progress from 2008 - 2010

During these two years doing Batxillerat, my writings have changed a lot and we can see these differences. We can compare my first e-mail to my teacher of 1st of Batxillerat with my last post in second of Batxillerat.

We can observe these differences, firstly, with the length of both posts: my first e-mail is very short compare with this post about why read books. Another very important aspect that I would like to comment it is about the new vocabulary that I learnt and also the structure of all my writings. I used to use a lot of new words that I acquired duirng these two years and also I learnt how to write all different types of compositions.

Related with linguistic arguments, I used to put a lot of linking words in my writings as in my writings in the blog as writings that we did in class. My oral and written fluency has improved a lot and I have more facilities in English matters. I'm very proud also for my pronunciation imporvment that I can observe in my oral presentations. We can see that comparing my second oral presentation of first batxillerat with my second that I did this year.

Definitely, I can see a personal development, for example, my maturity in my posts that has changes during these two years.


2. My English COMPETENCE in 2010

I did some oral presentations, podcats... and I liked a lot my first oral presentation that I did with Mònica because we prepared a lot the topic that we talked about.

Related with my best written evidence, there are more than one post that I like a lot, but here there is the post that I make the most writing it and for this reason I'm proud of it.

From my point of view, a good post is a writing with a good structure according to the type of the text, rich vocabulary and introduicing original and new ideas.

Last post

Well, this is my last post of 2nd of Batxillerat.

I’m very happy because summer comes; hot is here! I would say that this year has happened to me very rapidly; probably because it has been one year very intense in questions of working, studying ... and now I ‘m very tired and I have few forces but I know that these weeks are the final straight line and that I have to overcome it and with that, to end the course with a good way and beginning the summer well.

Sincerely, during this course I’ve worked very much but in many occasions I haven’t obtained the awaited results and because of it, often I was demoralized. But I knew that everything "bad" passed and I had to struggle to obtain good results.

I didn’t think of how 2nd of Batxillerat is, that is, so difficult. But, with my classmates everything becomes easier and seems softly. My plans for summer are working at somewhere, I don’t know yet I’m sending some CV! I think that will be a bit difficult to find some job for this summer… crisis is here yet.

Even thought 2nd Batxillerat finishes early, students have to prepare the selectivity exams. Teachers are talking about repeatedly about this exam during the whole course and now more than ever. These exams are so important for our so, depends on the mark that we get, we will be able to do the career we want to.

But well, first of all we have to think about the final exams and to get the possible high mark of Batxillerat; then, we will have time to think about selectivity.

Paella with chicken's recipe

Ingredients


· 600 grams of rice
· 1/2 chicken’s pieces
· 2 artichokes
· 2 red medium peppers
· 2 ripe tomatoes
· Pepper
· A garlic clove
· Parsley
· 1 fiber of saffron (or colouring)
· Olive oil (a glass, 1/4 of liter)
· 1/2 lemon
· Twigs of rosemary and thyme
· Salt



Steps:

1: We fried the chicken with oil. Once fried, we put it to boil with 8 water glasses.

2: Then, we fry lightly the artichokes, the pepper and we separate it apart. On the other hand, we fry lightly the tomato and the garlic.

3: We add the rice and we stir it with the tomato and the garlic lightly fried.

4: The chicken must be already boiled after one 1/2 hour and before the rice stops sautéing with the tomato and garlic, we added it all, so, we add the artichokes, the pepper the juice of half a lemon a bit of pepper, a bit of parsley, thyme, rosemary, the fiber of saffron punctured and salt.

5: We have the chicken with the other ingredients prepared in the paella pan. At the beginning we switch on strong fire; at the half of boiling we lower the fire and after, approximately, 20 minutes altogether, we’ve the paella ready to serve.






Variants:

With meat of pork: do it quite equal; add 200 grams of pork, it’ll be much tastier. Do it like the previous recipe (the meat of pork joins with chicken meat and do it step by step as I have said).


Tricks / Councils / Secrets: The lemon is important because the rice will be free. Water: it’s better to use mineral water. Don’t forget to do it in a frying pan or paella with the suitable size; the fresh ingredients must be the best quality; the fire must be distributed well by the paella pan; don’t wash the rice. Remember that a stuck rice in the bottom of the pan is the rice with the best flavor.


Don’t forget to clean the paella pan: after cleaning it and before keeping it, rubbing the pan with little bit of oil. The thyme and rosemary cultivate its in handles. These herbs have proved being a good allied against the cancer

Videocast; LONDON

Professions that are dying out; dialogue

Today in our programme, Traditions, we are talking about a profession that is dying out, a farmer. John Fields, one of the last farmers in our country, is in our programme to explain and show us, how this profession has changed.

Maria: Welcome Mr Fields, we are so grateful that you are here in our programme today.

Mr Fields: Hello, I am so pleased to be here.

Maria: Nowadays everybody is conscious that some professions, like farmers, are dying out because of the new technologies and other economic and social advances.
I would like to know how you realize these changes that are becoming dangerous to fall down farmer’s profession.

Mr Fields: Well, as you perfectly said, new technologies affect so much in our job. Certainly, these new machines and also the new knowledge help farmer at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and then during the next times, to develop and also to produce more agricultural products and with that, reducing employees. However these changes are becoming dangerous because of this worker’s reductions and also for the rural exodus that the industry produced.

Maria: That is, this profession is dying, in part because of this rural exodus that was produced by the industry and in consequence, less people worked now and before in farmer fields. So, as we can see this is the origin of theses causes. And finally, a last question Mr Fields; do you think this tradition will die completely in the future?

Mr Fields: Perhaps in the future there will be only some people that have some private fields and nobody will dedicate their life to be a farmer.

Maria: Okay, thank you very much Mr Fields for your attention and see you in another interview.

Mr Fields: You are welcome, good bye.

Summer camps and activities in Catalonia; news

This piece of news talks about of some summer camps for children. Summer is almost here and while children are anxiously awaiting the end of the school year, some parents are wondering what to do with the younger ones in the family when school stops and work continues.

Luckily there are a lot of options to help pass the time in ways that are much more constructive than watching the TV or going to online chat rooms.

There are a lot of non-profit foundations that help families' children to entretain them.Their children will be able to play pricey sports and nearly all interest will be covered.

Of course, these summer camps help children to be more open mind and to make new friends. Also, makes the summer easier for parents who works everyday and can’t look after their children.



extract from: Catalonia Today

Why read books?

Is it worth reading books, since nowadays there are so many other forms of entertainment?

Some people say that even paperback books are expensive, and not everyone can borrow books from a library. They might add that television is more exciting and that viewers can relax as they watch their favourite programmes.

All that may be true, but books are still very popular. They encourage the reader to use his or her imagination for a start. You can read a chapter of a book, or just a few pages, and then stop. Of course, it may be so gripping that you can’t stop!

There are many different kinds of books, so you can choose a crime novel, or an autobiography, or a book which gives you interesting information. If you find it hard to choose, you can read reviews, or ask friends for ideas.

Personally, I really like reading books, but I can give up television easily enough. You can’t watch television at bus stops!

Laws

The human tendency is to act according to their needs and priorities of each given to different moments in life. These needs are often passed over by anything, that is, that humans act, naturally, selfishly to get everything they want without respecting things an people that surrounds them. This is the reason because exist laws, to regulate the action of this natural tendency of humans and trying to establish a minimum of order in society.

On the one hand, as I said previously, laws are necessary to regulate human’s actions in this society and also to ensure the rights of all citizens. In addition, they represent a form of security that some people have agreed to cooperate together for the injustices among the inhabitants. They are also a good way to try to help the weaker against the stronger power who abuse others. Also these rules help to drive human behavior so that allows coexistence with others and establish an order among the different habitants.

However, we have to bear in mind who are that agree these agreements to maintain social stability. These laws are supposed to be valid for everyone, but certainly they are not; we only have to look up at countries, who have more economic power is who have the power in that country and who modeled the laws in their own way. For this reason, laws are not necessary because without them in those places where people are unjustly treated, they could live decently without them.

To sum up, I would like to say that laws are necessary for the reasons that I commented, that is, they are essential to live together in relative harmony and to establish a social order. In those countries where these laws are bad for people, someone should regulate it, allowing all citizens a decent life like everyone should have.

Mexico complaints to Arizona its new law

Each territory of any part of the world is divided into states, countries, etc. Each of these countries and states are governed and led by different leaders. Despite this division of territory, different countries have very close relations between them because the exchanges of goods and people or because in the past, these countries maintained a special relationship.

Currently, this exchange happens strongly, especially on the borders between different countries. An example of this exchange could be found in the frontier between Mexico and Arizona. Specifically, this border made it a huge amount of trade in goods such as people.

Because this exchange between both zones are equal and have no conflicts socially, economically, etc., usually these countries sign dealings which both countries agree to cooperate and exchange "peacefully”.

In Mexico, there is a large immigration of people from this area towards the United States illegally and in that border occur some illegaly exchanges as drug’s matter, an issue of great concern to Arizona, as it has announced.

Mexico complains that most of these immigrant people make grow up the economy, among other social issues, of the state of Arizona and other U.S. states. Mexico adds that criminalization is not a good way to stop illegal immigration.

To sum up, it’s important to remark that these border problems will not only happen occasionally and only in this area, but occur in almost all borders where you can find either a great exchange of goods and people. People try to escape of their country and moving to another doing it in an illegal way to seek better conditions of life. However, these exchanges are sometimes subject of dispute because in a lot of cases there is a drug trafficking, that gets some poison to the relationships between the borders of the different countries.

extract from: BBC News

Love songs

Love song, it isn’t when you love someone, but when you remember. Nowadays love songs are born with which young people will die after eighty years.

The ideas pass, the chimeras become rusting, but love songs are living between us, either between the solemnities of a madrigal, under the tenderness of a bolero or fixed with drawing pins at the black leather of hard rock.

And all this survival about this genere must be for something. Without love songs we haven’t words of love and we wouldn’t know how consume some feelings which sometimes needs words.In these songs we have the only school that we still have to control our badly polite sentimental education.Only in words we feel safe. And when we put compasses and rhythms at love syllables, it’s the same that frame a child picture.

Why singers know everything? Who said to their, what happen to us? How have they penetrated into our feelings and they’ve done rhythm and verse? Not only it: when they sing, they steal us the gesture and pain.

It seems that they are really suffering for lost love or by fear of losing it. They are thieves of true emotions that we totally believed ours and, on the other hand, these emotions appear in the most inopportune time, at the radio. And then, we just sing it in low voice because nobody sees our hidden love.

Everything is explained. Everything is counted and sung.

Bullfighting; news

This piece of news talks about the bullfighting. Catalonia has been taken over by a band of misanthropic animal rights activist and wants to do away with the sacrifice of bulls’ altogether.

Esperanza Aguirre wants to declare bullfighting a cultural treasure along with El Prado or la paella.

In my point of view la tauromaquia is unfair for bulls that are with fewer possibilities for defending themselves; that is to say, these animals are attacked unfairly by bullfighters.

Imagine if we alter the rules and this bullfighting becomes in a fight hand by hand between man and the bull eliminating the “human helpers”. If the bull wins, people would realise the bull on the range forever.

What do you think about this propose? Would there be more dead bullfighters? I am a little afraid about that. But as you know it is only a propose, as I said; nobody would accept this as to apply it.

Finally I would to say that it is incredible that the bull is the symbol of Spain country and theses citizens try to kill them for they appreciate tradition.


extract from: Catalonia Today

Pregnancy exercise 'slims babies'; news

It is said by some specialists, from New Zealand and United States, that doing some exercise during pregnancy can ameliorate the future health of children by controlling their weight in the mum’s womb.

Overweight women are more probable to have babies that could be at higher risk of health problems in life. For this reason, UK guidelines recommend do light exercises for pregnant women.


The future metabolism of children can be influenced by its environment in the womb and some babies that are relatively heavy for their length can be more probably to be obese in the future.

These specialists recommend to pregnant women to use exercise bikes for five 40 minutes session every week until at least the 36th week of pregnancy.

This great study that specialists are made can be very useful for the future of our children. That is say, if midwifes that help with some exercises to pregnant women, imposes that they should do some exercises with static bikes, in the future may not be so many obese people.

Also this news breaks with the topic that pregnant women should eat enough because the children grow up healthy.



extract from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Forum's intervention

FORUM 1
Certainly, the fact that this book is based on a romantic story tends to say that it's a book only for girls. Actually, love and romance issues have always related to girls and it is, in my opinion, because boys have always wanted to seem more “brave” in front of these issues to not appear weakness to the other guys. Therefore, it doesn’t mean that all boys aren’t romantic or all girls that are romantic: there are always cases of all kinds. So, in my opinion, this book is enjoyable for both of them. Ariadna Julià.

FORUM 2
I agree with Mònica: marriages were also for social and cultural issues. Every poor or "normal" family had the desire that his or their daughters marry with people better placed economically and socially to become or to increase their level of welfare and economic development. Nowadays, this fact is not so usual but some people that have a good economic position is "deceived" in some way by other people who want to benefit from "falling in love with" rich people or achieve some fame. So we can say that marriage in some cases represents a benefit for one of the couple. Ariadna Julià.

FORUM 3
It can be possible? I don't want to say that but, boys always think with the same! And if we pay attention some boys commented twice when he saw this topic (as Roger ¬¬'). Well, so I prefer analyze boys intervention, that is, what kind of things boys judge a girl. Firstly, Robin said a good point: honour is an important point (I must say that happiness also in my point of view, Robin) and this quality the Bennet sisters, Jane and Elizabeth, show us that they have this honour. And now, if we observe the other boys' said and also, Monica intervention, we can see what they judge in a girl. Its true that beautiful is the first thing that you see in a person when you meet at first but in the film we can judge Bennet sisters for their behavior not only for they beauty. So, I would like to finish my intervention that it can be a "lesson" for people (specially for boys): "A person is only beautiful, when their own beauty, is reflecting on to others."

Letter; Department of Environment

Rentador Street, num. 15
Figueres (Girona, Spain)
11th of January, 2010

Department of Environment
Great Avenue, num. 5
Barcelona, Spain



Dear Sir/Madame

My name is Ariadna Julià and I am writing this letter to you to talk about the climate change so it is a worrying and problematic aspect in these current days.

Nowadays, a lot of environmental experts warn us that, since many years ago, environment is polluting and now, more than ever. Furthermore, the population is increasing, and it is directly related to the increase of pollution, too.

As you know, this pollution comes from chemical products like the famous gas, CO2, and it causes ecological disaster like acid rain. Consequently, some endangered species suffer; for these reasons we must try to do something about this big problem.

Everybody knows that if we do nothing to sort it out, our appreciated planet will disappear in a fewer years. It is necessary to try to do some campaigns to promote and make the society conscious of the problem.

My purpose is, with the media, try to send an ecological message and also, all world countries should make an arrangement to solve it.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.



Yours faithfully,

Ariadna Julià.

Podcast; description of a person

Some anecdotes

A friend in the rain

Last week I was walking home after playing basketball when it started raining very heavily. 'Oh no, I will get soaked before I reach home', I thought. I wish I had rembember to bring my raincoat.' But unfortunately I had left it at home.

How stupid of me! I always forget to bring it with me. Luckily just then a friend of mine passed in her car and offered me a lift. 'Are you hoing home? she asked, 'or do you want to go for a drink?' 'I think I'd rather you took me home', I said. 'If I don't change my clothes, I know I will fall ill, and then I won't be able to play basketball next week. And I have been practising hard for the las month.' I will wait for you to change if you like', she told me. 'I think it's time you relaxed for a change. You have been worring too much about things lately. And people who worry too much fail ill more easily. It's got nothing to do with the rain!'

How a hobby can make you angry!

Recently I decided to take up photography as a hobby. I like taking snaps, but I am not very skilled. My snaps are either a complete failure for technical reasons, or are just not very imaginative.

First I decided that to be successful, I would have to buy new equipament. Just then I had an unexpect piece of good luck. A friend who works in a camera shop said she could sell me a valuable camera. A customer had left it at the shop to be repaired, but there had been a misunderstanding, and it was actually for sale. I thought this was a credible explanation and so I asked her some more questions. She said she had had a agreement with the customer and he had thrown the camera at her because she disliked his photos!

Leaving a job

My oncle recently left his job in an advertising agency after a disagreement with his boss. He accepted his resignation but warned him that because of the economical situation, he might have to get used to the idea of being unemployed for a while. He thought that he was trying to make a point, but after he had made over fifty aplications to other companies, he realized that he was right.

Althought he is a qualify designer, he didn't receive any offers of a job. After that he tried working from home, but it was not very profitable. Then he became an employee in a fast-food restaurant, even thought his earning were extremely low. He wish he had accepted early retirement from his old job. That is what he disagreed with his boss about!

Grease; analysis

John Travolta plays Danny, the arrogant leader of a gang of teenagers in the 50s. Everyone knows him as a tough and ruthless with the girls. When he returns from his summer vacation and meets with his friends in high school, everything is the same. But things change when Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) recognizes him as his summer love. Danny makes him crazy, but he still love her. Sandy will be integrated into a gang of warrior girls, to face with the arrogance of Danny.

This film is one of the mythic musical films. John Travolta appears in full authority, and it is a waste of energy and magnetism. Newcomer Olivia Newton-John, a star of the track by then, makes an attractive role as Travolta's naive love. The songs are excellent and that sogns do not lose their rhythm and their freshness over the years. The choreography is magnificent. A tribute to the golden era of true rock and roll. Anybody should miss this great film.

2nd Oral presentation; my reserch project

Self-evaluation
In general, I can be satisfied with the oral presentation that I did about my research project but there was some aspects that I can improve.

Regarding the other oral presentation, I must say that this last presentation was more easily to talk about because about the topic. I hadn't got so nervs, I think that I was more confidence.

During the presentation I was looking to the classmates but perhaps I also read much more the paper: its a point that I can improve. In my point of view, I introduced the topic quite well and my oral presentation was correct and well tied content.

Personally I liked to talk about this topic because I was quite fluent and confidence with people. Finally, I didn't show any example and it could be good to demonstrate to the audience my hard work.

Spanish women do three times as much housework

According to a recent study undertaken by the Saving Banks Foundation (FUNCAS), Spanish and Italian men do less housework than other European people, specially countries like Sweden, Norway and UK where the household share out between the sexes.

The report called 'Spanish family life: Analysis and Reflections from a Sociological and Economic Perspective', indicates that, on average, Spanish women spend more than four and half hours each day cooking and cleaning, more than three times as much as their menfolk.

This article, as you could see, talks about the housework. Nowadays, this topic is so important; a few years ago, it was only the women who did the housework and the men who went to work outside. In these moments, as women as men work outside and for this reason, they must share out their hosuework.

Personally, I think that is unbelievable that in Spain, a developed country, the women do more than three times as much as their men folk. Also, Spain is not the only developed country where the women do more housework, there are more countries that this happen; times has changed and every sex have to contribute with the housework.

extract from: http://edition.cnn.com

Shopping ways

Supermarkets

Nowadays, a great variety of different food is available from large supermarkets. There are rarely any shortaje of fresh food, and there is far less likelihood of our having to realy on frozen products.

Does this mean that supermarkets have become the most successful shops of all time? Certainly they seem to have made some kinds of food less expensive and most people enjoy shopping in them.

There has been a reduction in the number of complains made against supermarkets in recent years. The assistans are no longer impolite, but smile and try to be helpful. Above all, supermarkets have shown a willingness to listen to their customers, and to adapt to customer's needs.

Street markets

Most people enjoy looking for bargains in the street markets. It can be very enjoyable walking around the stalls, among the crowds of a shoppers, and trying to spend as little as possible. Of course it depends on the market.

In fruit and vegetable markets, there is usually a wide variety of fresh produce, but it may not be cheap. There may be goods at reduced prices at the end of the day. Clothes markets can be a problem, as it is difficult to try on new clothes in the open aire!

My favourites are antique markets, where although there is not much likelihood of finding valuable objects which are also cheap, you can enjoy yourself looking at all the things for sale. Whatever kind of market you look round, and whether you buy things or not, you usually end up felling completely worn out. Still, it is an interesting way of shopping.

Some exercise

One of the best ways of doing exercise, without it produces a big effort, is practicing a team sport.

We know that if we play sport we feel better. It is the best way of expelling the tensions accumulated during the day. In spite of knowing well that is a good way to move the skeleton, a lot of people have a lot of difficulties to go to the gym.

The truth is that going to the room of gym's machine to do exercise is a solitary activity and it is not attractive. One of the best ways of doing exercise, without it produces an effort, is practicing a team sport. The basketball can be the solution.

Every time there are more children, women and men that play basketball and they join into leagues. The advantages of the basketball are great, for example:

- You gain resistance. The lungs get used to doing exercise and during your quotdidian live you realize that you become less tired.

- You will learn to work in a team and to cooperate with your team members; you will do new friendship.

Your team members wait for you; now, you don't practice a sport solitarily. Your weekly appointment with the sport turns into an appointment with your friend. Playing basketball can be the formula to meet with people regularly.

Past, present and future transport

A hundred years ago, most people travelled on foot, by train, or on horseback. Railways had made it possible to travel rapidly over long distances.

Bicycles were also becoming popular, after the invention of the air-filled tyre, which made cycling a lot more confortable buses, trams and underground railyways had already been invented, and cities all over the world already had traffic jams. There were very few private cars, and city streets were still full of horses.

What a difference a hundred years have made! Presently we have got used to the problem of private cars, and some cities are so noisy and polluted that in many places vehicles have been banned from the city centre.

How will we be travellin in a hundred year's time? Perhaps by then there will be only personal helicopters. There may be no need to commute to work or school in the future, since everyone will have a computer at home. There might even be more people walking and horse-riding, for pleasure and exercise.